Focus on Wicked Problems

Wicked problems are challenges so complex, they defy easy understanding. There is wide disagreement about the exact nature of the problems, let alone the solutions to them. Many of the big issues philanthropy aims to address today – from climate change to poverty – are classic wicked problems.

Focus on Ideas

We provide financial support and active engagement to some of the world’s smartest thinkers and organizations to empower them to generate and promote new ideas that address wicked problems.We understand the critical role that ideas play in shaping public policy and believe that new ideas can create paradigmatic shifts in approach that break through polarization and gridlock by changing the terms of debate.

Focus on the Role of Government

We believe in a robust role for government in addressing society’s greatest challenges. The United States government is the largest and most important lever on many of the most wicked problems facing our world. Unlike many funders, our approach to shaping public policy is less focused on advocacy and more focused on idea generation because we believe it is important to gain greater clarity before knowing what to advocate for. While advocacy inherently limits policy options by promoting speciﬁc ideas, idea generation can clarify and even expand available choices.